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| National Historic Preservation Week | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Historic Preservation Week |
| Observedby | United States |
| Date | Third week of May |
| Frequency | Annual |
National Historic Preservation Week is an annual observance in the United States dedicated to recognizing and promoting the preservation of historic sites, landmarks, and cultural landscapes. It highlights the work of preservationists, heritage organizations, civic groups, and governmental agencies in protecting built and cultural heritage. The week mobilizes activities that connect communities with historic places associated with figures, events, movements, and institutions across American history.
The roots of the observance trace to mid-20th-century preservation movements that engaged actors such as Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Muir, and organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Smithsonian Institution. Influences include landmark legislation and initiatives associated with Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs including the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, as well as preservation milestones like the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the establishment of the National Register of Historic Places. Early advocates such as Charles E. Peterson and institutions like the Historic American Buildings Survey shaped practice alongside municipal efforts in cities such as Charleston, South Carolina, Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Federal agencies including the National Park Service, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the United States Department of the Interior became central to national preservation policy, joined by state-level entities such as the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the California Office of Historic Preservation.
The observance advances objectives promoted by the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and allied organizations like the American Association for State and Local History and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. Goals include raising awareness of listings on the National Register of Historic Places, supporting preservation tax incentives such as the federal Historic Tax Credit administered through the Internal Revenue Service, promoting heritage tourism tied to sites like Independence Hall, Mount Vernon, Gettysburg National Military Park, and preserving cultural landscapes associated with figures like Frederick Law Olmsted and Thomas Jefferson. It emphasizes stewardship principles reflected in charters such as the Venice Charter and international frameworks like the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, while aligning with preservation planning practiced by agencies including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and municipal preservation commissions in Savannah, Georgia and New York City.
Events during the week range from open houses and guided tours at landmarks such as Alcatraz Island, Ellis Island, Monticello, Biltmore Estate, and Statue of Liberty to workshops on conservation hosted by institutions like the Getty Conservation Institute, the Smithsonian Institution, and university programs at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Virginia. Activities include lectures referencing restoration case studies at Carnegie Hall, archaeological demonstrations linked to the National Archaeological Park model, walking tours in neighborhoods like Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), French Quarter, New Orleans, and Beacon Hill, Boston, and advocacy campaigns coordinated with groups such as Preservation Chicago, Historic Alexandria Foundation, and the Los Angeles Conservancy. Community-driven projects collaborate with tribal entities like the National Congress of American Indians and historic churches such as Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church.
Key partners include federal entities (National Park Service, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation), nonprofit organizations (National Trust for Historic Preservation, World Monuments Fund, Historic England in transatlantic exchanges), and professional associations like the American Institute of Architects, the Association for Preservation Technology International, and the American Planning Association. Funding and technical support often involve foundations such as the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and corporate partners including heritage divisions of the Ford Motor Company and General Electric in philanthropic programs. Collaborative networks link state historic preservation offices, local historical societies such as the New-York Historical Society, Chicago History Museum, Virginia Historical Society, and academic centers including The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Advocates credit the week with increasing public engagement, influencing policy through successful campaigns to save sites like Penn Station (New York City), enhancing economic development via heritage tourism in regions such as Charleston, South Carolina and Williamsburg, Virginia, and supporting rehabilitation projects using the Historic Tax Credit. Critics raise concerns echoed in debates involving scholars and organizations such as Dolores Hayden, James Marston Fitch, J. B. Jackson, Preservation Action, and municipal officials in Balboa Park (San Diego), pointing to tensions over gentrification in neighborhoods like Harlem, Mission District (San Francisco), and Roxbury, Massachusetts; disputes over authenticity at sites such as Colonial Williamsburg; and conflicts between development interests represented by parties linked to Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and preservation priorities. Questions also address representation of marginalized histories concerning African American sites like Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, A.P. Carter Homeplace, and indigenous heritage associated with the National Museum of the American Indian.
Prominent campaigns and actions connected to preservation awareness include the movement to save Pennsylvania Station (1910–1963) that catalyzed modern preservation law, the restoration efforts at Independence Hall, advocacy for Montgomery Bus Boycott-related sites, and high-profile rescues of landmarks like Biltmore Estate and Riverside Church (New York City). National observances have spotlighted projects such as the rehabilitation of Union Station (Washington, D.C.), the preservation of Touro Synagogue, emergency responses to disasters affecting sites like Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans, and international exchanges involving the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.